Ratchet for coin controlled machines



Dec. 4,195] KLOPNER 7 2,577,199

RATCHET FOR COIN CONTROLLED MACHINES Filed Aug. 1, 1949 L. P. KLOPNER Zinnentor Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED" I om Rimmin -Fon COINCIKBNTIRGLLEDI MACHINES This invention :I'EiatGS to vending .machines, disk token dispensing machines, and the like,;and has reference 1 to 1 imprbvements in actuating mechanisms therefor.

An objectof the invention :is' to provide an improved ratchet construction and combination whereby pilfering from machines of the described class is eliminated r substantiallyreduced.

Particularly, the" invention hastddo with a ratchet construction and: arrangement for I coaction with: the "segment. ratchet gearsio'f machines of the described :cla-ssvno'w in: use, .and whereby said gear mustlcomplete its movement in either direction before it-caniagain be moved in the same initiated direction.

Machines of the describedclass usually have the longitudinal centers of the ratchets -=positioned, by means of tension springs, other than through the pivotal centers of the segment gears, and which arrangement was operative when used with a ratchet having a single angularly disposed detent. However, the conventional single detent ratchet permitted pilfering, as will be shown. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a ratchet having double detents for making it necessary to complete the movement of the segment gear in either direction, and yet serve the intended purpose although the length of said ratchet is misaligned with respect to the pivotal center of said gear.

Figure 1 is a broken elevation of the actuating mechanism of a machine of the described class, and showing the improved ratchet positioned therein.

Figures 2 and 3 are elevations of the improved ratchet, and illustrate the locking elfect so as to make necessary the complete movement of the segment gear in either direction after said gear has been initially actuated.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the improved ratchet and particularly shows, by means of center lines, the relative lengths of the detents thereon.

A conventional vending or disk token dispensing machine will be described before disclosing the present invention in order that the latter may be readily understood and appreciated. The machine illustrated in Figure 1 includes a base I!) having a frame I I supported thereon by means of legs I2 and feet I3. An operating lever I4 is pivotally secured relative to the frame II at the point A. Within the lever I4 there is a longitudinal groove I5 for engaging opposite sides of a roller I5 mounted on an extending arm I! of a segment type ratchet gear I8 having teeth I9 i claim.v (01. 74-175) along its arcuate' edge. As-projectioin' Z9 onthe gear-'18 accommodates alfinger 2| pivotallysup; ported onisaid gear by apin- 22. The -pin 2 2 :is locatedafnear one'end of the finger 2 I, and atensio'n spring-J23 is connected with, said finger above said': pin .and.is-attached to the;projection 26'byrmeans of a screw. 24. A central and-' relatively. large .opening; 25 is formed through -the fingerzZI and receives asmall pin 26 projecting fromzthe segment projection 20; The outer endof the finger 2I' is= downwardly and outwardly curved; as ;at 21, for:slidi-ng contact/with the pointed-end 28 of an operated lever 2-9,-the latter being secured at its :end opposite the point 28 to :azisha-ft wajournaled in the frame -I I. Another operatedjeverxifl :isalso-secureduto .the shait ll fl and extends toward and is received within a slot frame I! by means of a shaft 34. A roller 35 is mounted on the last described operated lever 3| for action within the bell crank slot 32. The operated levers 29 and SI are normally moved in a downward direction by means of a tension spring 36 connected between the base II! and one of the operated levers 29. The end of the bell crank 33 opposite the slot 32 is provided with a pawl 3? which is moved outwardly by a tension spring 38 connected with said bell crank to engage the teeth 39 of an indexing wheel 40 mounted on a shaft 4| supported by the frame II. The indexing wheel ii] is not shown in detail, be it sufficient to say that this wheel regulates the discharge of merchandise, disk tokens, or the like, in any machine of this type.

A ratchet 42 is pivotally mounted on a pin d3 secured to the frame II and is arranged for co-action with the teeth I9 of the ratchet segment I8. A tension spring 44, connected with one end of the ratchet and with the frame II, positions said ratchet substantially perpendicular to the ratchet gear I8 when not acted upon by the teeth I9. The foregoing described machine, with the exception of the particular ratchet 42, to be described in detail, is conventional and has been described for the purpose of better illustrating the new ratchet, be it sufiicient to say that the conventional ratchet (not shown) had a single detent and was angularly disposed so as to prevent movement of the ratchet gear It in one direction only when engaging the teeth I9.

It will be noted in Figure 1 that the length of the ratchet 42, when not engaging the teeth I9, is not aligned with the center of the shaft 45. As will become apparent from the description of operation, one of the detents 48 is longer than the other detent 47 on the improved ratchet 42 as particularly shown in Figure 4 so as to accommodate the non-alignment of the length of said ratchet with the center of the segment gear supporting shaft 45.

In operation, the lever I4 is moved downwardly about the point A, causing the teeth IQ of the ratchet segment 18 to move in a corresponding direction. During the last referred to movement, the finger 2| is moved upwardly, slidably engaging the point 28 of the operated lever 29, and causing the other operated lever 3| to move upwardly and to move the bell crank 33 about its supporting shaft 34. .By reason of the pawl 37, the end of the bell crank supporting the same passes the teeth 39 on the index wheel 40. As the movement of the lever l4 continues, the shorter detent 46 engages the teeth I9 of the segment gear 18 in the manner illustrated in Figure 3, and thus locking the latter against a return movement until the detent 46 is positioned, relatively, beyond the end of Said teeth. After the finger 2| raises the lever 29, the curved end of said finger passes beyond and releases the point 28 of said lever, thus allowing the spring 36 to actuate the pawl 37 and spin the indexing wheel 40. The lever I4 is then returned to its original position by means of springs (not shown), and in which event the longer detent 47 engages the teeth I9 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 and thus prevents the return of the segment gear to its position just prior to the described return movement.

It has been found, in the described machine having the single angularly directed detent (above referred to), that after the index wheel 40 has been set for dispensing merchandise or r and arranged for engaging tokens, that partial operation of the lever, while said prior detent is riding above the teeth 19, will cause the machine to discharge the merchandise or tokens. By reason of the described improved ratchet, and by reason of the described locking positions, as particularly shown in Figures 2 and 3, such pilfering of merchandise or tokens may be prevented.

The described form of the invention, may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In'combination with a vending machine or the like having a segment ratchet gear therein, a ratchet pivotally supported opposite the teeth of said gear, a pair of angularly disposed detents of unequal lengths integral with said ratchet the teeth of said gear, and spring means positioning the mean longitudinal center between said detents asymmetrically relative to the pivotal center of said gear.

LIONEL P. KLOPNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 903,536 Benner Nov, 10, 1908 1,250,179 Hughes et a1. Dec. 18, 1917 1,873,755 Gibson Aug. 23, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 7 Date 361,368 Italy July 20, 1938 

